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'Looking at the Lionesses team that played in the final, they're all white'

By PA
Shaunagh Brown (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

England forward Shaunagh Brown believes increasing the amount of sport played in state schools holds the key to addressing the lack of diversity evident in elite level women’s teams.

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Brown was present at Wembley last month to see the Lionesses’ victory over Germany in the final of Euro 2022 and was struck by the absence of any players from ethnic minority backgrounds in the starting line-up.

Former England defender Anita Asante reacted to the “whiteness” of the side by stating that “visibility matters” and Brown acknowledges that it is also a characteristic shared by the Red Roses.

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The 32-year-old believes the solution to widening the appeal of sports like rugby and football amongst girls and women is to expand its availability in state education.

“Looking at the Lionesses team that played in the final, they’re all white. I definitely noticed straight away,” Umbro ambassador Brown told the PA news agency.

“I walk into a room and I’m generally the only mixed race female and sometimes the only person of colour full stop, so I notice it.

“It’s no player’s fault and it’s not the staffing or support system’s fault because they can only pick from a certain pool of talent.

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“The problem – and it is a problem – is where the talent is coming from. What systems are in place at state schools to encourage people like me to play rugby at any age, like they do with boys at private schools?

“Where are rugby clubs going to get their talent? You need to invest into secondary state schools and that would open up a world to so many more people.

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“In terms of diversity in the sport, it’s got a very, very long way to go, but that starts at a lot lower than at the elite level. It’s certainly something I notice.

“There’s so much positive still in the women’s game, but across the board there’s a long way to go.

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“In this country only 13 per cent of people are ethnic minorities, so you have to be realistic about these things, but there’s no reason why we can’t over-encourage people who don’t normally play rugby or sport.”

Brown will be involved in England’s quest to win a third World Cup in New Zealand this autumn as they look to amplify the feelgood factor surrounding women’s sport generated by their footballing counterparts.

Even for a side viewed as firm favourites and armed with a stunning 23-Test winning run, attracting a comparable level of interest will be difficult given the different time zone.

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But Brown insists England 2025 could be a transformative moment for women’s rugby – if the hosts deliver.

“When I was at Wembley I thought ‘we could do this as rugby’,” she said.

“The Rugby Football Union want to fill Twickenham for the final in 2025 and while that’s a very bold statement and there’s work to do, we know there is a mission to invest in women and women in rugby.”

Brown’s immediate target, however, is coping with the ongoing heatwave as England’s World Cup preparations continue.

“The sun has been a huge factor and we’ve been trying to mitigate that. It’s been very, very tough! We have ice towels and spend time in the shade, or train earlier,” she said.

*Shaunagh Brown is an ambassador for Umbro. For more information visit umbro.co.uk/rugby or follow @Umbro_Rugby on Instagram

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2 Comments
C
CT 833 days ago

If the team was all black would there be an article 🤔

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B
BeamMeUp 38 minutes ago
The Springboks have something you don't have

A few comments. Firstly, I am a Bok fan and it's been a golden period for us. I hope my fellow Bok fans appreciate this time and know that it cannot last forever, so soak it all in!


The other thing to mention (and this is targeted at Welsh, English and even Aussie supporters who might be feeling somewhat dejected) is that it's easy to forget that just before Rassie Erasmus took over in 2018, the Boks were ranked 7th in the world and I had given up hope we'd ever be world beaters again.


Sport is a fickle thing and Rassie and his team have managed to get right whatever little things it takes to make a mediocre team great. I initially worried his methods might be short-lived (how many times can you raise a person's commitment by talking about his family and his love of his country as a motivator), but he seems to have found a way. After winning in 2019 on what was a very simple game plan, he has taken things up ever year - amazing work which has to be applauded! (Dankie Rassie! Ons wardeer wat jy vir die ondersteuners en die land doen!) (Google translate if you don't understand Afrikaans! 😁)


I don't think people outside South Africa fully comprehend the enormity of the impact seeing black and white, English, Afrikaans and Xhosa and all the other hues playing together does for the country's sense of unity. It's pure joy and happiness.


This autumn tour has been a bit frustrating in that the Boks have won, but never all that convincingly. On the one hand, I'd like to have seen more decisive victories, BUT what Rassie has done is expose a huge number of players to test rugby, whilst also diversifying the way the Boks play (Tony Brown's influence).


This change of both style and personnel has resulted in a lack of cohesion at times and we've lost some of the control, whereas had we been playing our more traditional style, that wouldn't happen. This is partially attributable to the fact that you cannot play Tony Brown's expansive game whilst also having 3 players available at every contact point to clear the defence off the ball. I have enjoyed seeing the Boks play a more exciting, less attritional game, which is a boring, albeit effective spectacle. So, I am happy to be patient, because the end justifies the means (and I trust Rassie!). Hopefully all these players we are blooding will give us incredible options for substitutions come next year's Rugby Championship and of course, the big prize in 2027.


Last point! The game of rugby has never been as exciting as it is now. Any of Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Argentina, Scotland, England & Australia can beat one another. South Africa may be ranked #1, but I wouldn't bet my house in them beating France or New Zealand, and we saw Argentina beating both South Africa and New Zealand this year! That's wonderful for the game and makes the victories we do get all the sweeter. Each win is 100% earned. Long may it last!


Sorry for the long post! 🏉🌍

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